Global concern over the use of nuclear weapons.. How do Ukrainians view the seriousness of the Russian threat?

Kiev -

The world stands on one foot and holds its breath at every development in Russia's war on Ukraine, especially when the battles rage near the nuclear plants.

The latest of these incidents was the Russian bombing two days ago that targeted industrial sites belonging to the "Bevdino Ukrainska" plant (south) in the Mykolaiv region, which is only 300 meters away from it, and another renewal after that of the electricity supply lines necessary for the process of cooling the reactors at the Zaporozhye plant.

International concern is rising with Russia's explicit threat to use tactical or strategic nuclear weapons if it is forced to do so. On Wednesday, Russian President Vladimir Putin confirmed, for the first time, his readiness to use nuclear weapons "if his country's territory is endangered," he said.

What is the reality of the seriousness of all of the above?

How do Ukrainians view Putin's threats?

Pre-disaster steps

"The bombing of the South Station was more dangerous than that of the Zaporozhye plant," said Olga Kocharna, an expert in the field of nuclear safety at the Ukrainian Energy Ministry.

In her speech to Al Jazeera Net, she explains that the station in Mykolaiv is part of an integrated power group that works together, including the Tashinska hydraulic power plants and Oleksandrivska hydroelectric power plants, and the recent bombing was also close to a huge dam on the Dnipro River that is used in both plants to generate electricity and cool the reactors of nuclear plants. The three.

"In other words, we were just a few steps away from a nuclear catastrophe, and another threatening to cut off the power to the whole of southern Ukraine while plunging large areas of it into darkness."

In this context, the expert believes that "Russia practices nuclear terrorism, blackmails Ukraine and the world with its operations, and does not heed the calls of the International Atomic Energy Agency to withdraw its forces from the Zaporozhye plant and stop bombing it."

And it considered that "the International Atomic Energy Agency should expel the Russians from its council during its general conference, which will be held from 26-30 September."

Putin won't do it for this reason

But others in Ukraine completely rule out that Russia would cause a new nuclear disaster in Ukraine after the 1986 Chernobyl disaster, or even use nuclear weapons of mass destruction, and they have a basis in this regard.

In his interview with Al Jazeera Net, the head of the "Ukrainian Options" Foundation for Strategic Studies, Oleksiy Kochel, says, "Putin cannot deliberately cause a nuclear disaster, bombing the Zaporozhye plant - for example - that would eliminate the possibility of using the Black Sea for decades, and would affect Ukraine, Russia and Turkey." Europe is extensive radioactive contamination."

With regard to the possibility of using nuclear weapons of mass destruction, the expert excludes this from happening, considering that "this will inevitably lead to the inevitable complete isolation of Putin, even by his loyal or silent allies from the war in China, India and other countries that do not want a nuclear war."

But the expert does not rule out that Russia will actually carry out "tactical nuclear attacks" of limited diameter, although this will not change much on the ground in favor of Russia, because it slows down the forces and does not prevent counter and defensive operations.

Kochel believes that "Putin - with his statements and declarations - is blackmailing and threatening with the aim of creating urgent conditions in favor of Russia, paving the way for the negotiations it needs with Ukraine and the West, paving the way for a return to retrogression, by lifting sanctions and the return of the "Northern Stream 2" project, and preventing the Russians from fleeing further to the countries of Turkey and Georgia, which are now filled with them".

He adds that "Moscow has become aware that things are out of its control on the battlefield in favor of Kyiv, which is regaining its territory strongly and quickly," he said.

The famous Ukrainian journalist Dmytro Hordon goes further, expressing his conviction - in a recording posted on his accounts on the communication sites - that "NATO and the West will destroy all of Russia's nuclear capabilities if Putin intends to use weapons of mass destruction."